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Cardona Targets December 14 Return From Tricep Tear

The SmackDown star says he is working to be cleared in time for the John Cena Classic after surgery on his torn tricep.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Wrestling

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Matt Cardona is working to be cleared by December 14 to return to WWE SmackDown after tearing his tricep in an August 21 match against Kit Wilson, in time for the John Cena Classic. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Matt Cardona, a 41-year-old WWE SmackDown star, has been out of action since August with a torn tricep. He posted on November 3 that he is trying to get cleared by December 14.

Why it matters

Cardona's timeline would return him to competition for the John Cena Classic, a tournament announced for the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in Orlando. His recovery also shows how a wrestler is working around a serious injury through rehab and gym workouts.

Cardona tore the tricep on August 21 in a match against Kit Wilson taped for Main Event, and an August 22 MRI confirmed the muscle had torn off the bone at the elbow. Surgery followed on August 25, and his recovery target now falls on December 14.

The players

Matt Cardona

Matt Cardona is a WWE SmackDown wrestler, age 41, known for a long independent and WWE career who is now recovering from a torn tricep.

John Cena Classic

The John Cena Classic is a WWE tournament announced on the November 2 RAW from Brooklyn, with its event set for the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.

The details

Cardona was injured in a match against Kit Wilson taped for Main Event on August 21. Since then he has been going to rehab and making up workouts in the gym to work around the injury, and on November 3 he publicly stated his goal of clearance by December 14.

Timeline

  1. August 14, 2026: Gunther dragged Cardona into an impromptu fight on SmackDown, where he took powerbombs on the announce table and apron.

  2. August 21, 2026: Cardona tore his tricep in a match against Kit Wilson taped for Main Event.

  3. August 22, 2026: An MRI confirmed the tricep muscle had torn off the bone at the elbow.

  4. August 25, 2026: Cardona underwent surgery on the tricep.

  5. November 3, 2026: Cardona posted that he is trying to get cleared by December 14.

Season Trajectory

Cardona's recovery timeline sits against the scheduling of the John Cena Classic, a tournament announced for December 14 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. Whether he is cleared in time will affect his standing in the WWE roster heading into the end of the year.

Cardona's return timing would determine whether he is eligible for the December 14 John Cena Classic, which affects fantasy and roster expectations for WWE fans. Fans should watch for an official clearance announcement before assuming he will compete.

The takeaway

Cardona's stated recovery goal is ambitious given a surgery in late August, so fans should expect confirmation from WWE before the December 14 tournament. His rehab effort shows how wrestlers work through major injuries while still aiming for a competitive comeback.

What happens next

Cardona has said he is aiming to be cleared by December 14, the date of the John Cena Classic.

Further reading

For more on the sport, see our Wrestling coverage.